For the Sake of My Family
by ThisSeemsLikeACoolUsername
Summary: When the Flock believes that Max is an unfit leader, they ask her to step down. However, to please everyone, Max leaves. She begins a new life, with a new Flock. Yet, when her worst fears are confirmed, how will Max and her new family handle it? Will Max forgive her ex-Flock? What Flock will she stay with? She must keep in mind that saving the world is the number one priority.
1. Nightmares

**A/N: This is set during the time where they are at the E-House, before Dylan arrived. My first fanfic on this website.**

I stepped into the rebuilt E-House, carrying a heap of grocery bags. Glancing into the living room, I found the Flock, huddled around each other, whispering. The same pang of worry shot through my chest – over the weeks, everyone had been avoiding me, exchanging nervous glances, shrugging away from any interaction. I had been dismissing it at the beginning, but slowly and surely, my suspicions have been arising.

"I have food!" I called, pushing a stack of cereal bowls coated in Cheerios away to make room for the bags. A small sigh escaped my lips; we really needed to learn how to be more hygienic. Shuffling feet echoed into the kitchen as the Flock moved into the kitchen. Angel pointed towards the dinner table, a malicious look of barely concealed venom plastered on her angelic face. I moved to the tale, sitting in my normal seat. Angel, Nudge, Gazzy, Iggy, and Fang were seated as well.

"We think you should step down from the position of leader," Angel started, a twisted smile spreading across her face.

"Of course, I will happily oblige to fill in this position, as I have superior powers and the right skills."

I snorted. "You are seven years old! You can't lead the Flock! You can't even cross the street on your own." I reminded her.

Angel narrowed her eyes; she pounded her hand against the table, causing everyone to jump. "I can bring this Flock to a level of greatness that would be unachievable with you here." She snarled. Suddenly, this seven year old looked like a hateful demon, despite her cute features.

My death glare was unleashed upon what used to be my baby. "So you want me to leave?" I growled.

Iggy held his hands up. "No, no. Definitely not. You are our best fighter." He insisted. "It wouldn't be the Flock without you-"

Instead of being soothed by this information, I became furious. Angel looked at Iggy with a glare that would have frightened an Eraser. It fazed none of us. Especially Iggy, as he couldn't see.

"That isn't your decision to make, Iggy. Max is most certainly not our _best_ fighter,"

Before the beast could continue, I rolled my eyes and stood up so fast my chair fell backwards. I could not believe this – after all I have done, these ungrateful backstabbers were telling me I was a horrible leader! Various levels of anger flowed over me, so intense it felt like my very insides were burning. To my surprise, fire sparked on my hands and flames licked up my palms. Widening my eyes, I blinked multiple times and the flames disappeared. No one else seemed to notice them, as they were still shocked over my abrupt movement. I figured something was wrong with my mind; I was simply emotionally stressed.

Walking calmly down the hall, I entered my room and pulled out my best backpack. Fitting a laptop, charger, phone charger, all of my money, my Max card, clothes, another pair of shoes, a blanket, hygiene products – boy oh boy, has the policy of cleanliness changed lately – and other necessary items in my pack, I zipped it up. Pulling on my new black converse, I grabbed my hoddie, put it on, and then threw my favorite sweatshirt over my shoulder. It was frigid outside. Quickly, I grabed the photo album of the Flock and stuffed it into the remaining space in the pack. Taking the food I had stashed in my room and the three water bottles I had in case of a midnight dry throat, I left my room. The Flock was crowded in the hall, waiting or me.

"What are you doing?" Nudge asked.

"Leaving." I explained. "I mean, that is what everyone wants. I can tell."

"Max, please don't go." Gazzy and Nudge pleaded, Iggy adding, "We need you."

I laughed. "According to Angel, you obviously don't. I am only bringing this Flock down, right?"

The question hung there, and I nodded as confirmation before pushing the French doors out, opening the entrance to the balcony. Stepping onto the ralling, I face the Flock.

"Bye Gazzy, Nudge, Iggy. I hope to see you again." I lied. Looking over to Angel and Fang, who was just standing there silently, I smiled sweetly.

"Burn in hell, you two."

Nudge ran forward, hugging me quickly. Gazzy and Iggy sprang forward. I embraced them all. In front of us, Angel lifted her arms slightly. I thought, _Oh. No. I am not hugging you, you little demon._

I'm not sure who that hurt more: Angel or me. The pain was nearly unbearable, but I stood tall and waved one last time.

"Wait!" Angel called. I straightened.

"What?" I snapped.

"How will we pay for food without your Max card?"

"Not my problem." I grinned wickedly, falling backwards and pulling upwards, going into hyper-drive. I could tell that I was flying at nearly six hundred miles per hour. The trip to Arizona was just under five hundred miles per hour, so I would be at Mom's in under an hour.

*One Hour Later*

"Sweetie, I am just saying, it is a good thing that you aren't in the Flock anymore!" Mom tried to explain.

I shook my head, my emotions overwhelming my mind. "Are you kidding?! They were my family."

"Max, they are crazy for kicking you out!" Ella exclaimed.

"Ella, darling, no they are not," Mom remarked, "Max was not needed in the Flock anymore. Truly, it was the correct decision."

The hot prickling of tears burned as I realized that even my Mom was against me. All I had left was Ella. Standing up, I abandoned my cookie, my fourteen year old form slumping. Ella hugged me quickly, whispering a goodbye.

"When will you be back?" She mumbled, crying silently.

I shrugged. "Honestly, probably never. I love you, Ella. I will find you, in the future. Goodbye." I muttered, slinging the heavy pack over my shoulder.

"Bye." I growled, looking at my mother. Running out of the house, I took off, flying nowhere in particular, just looking for somewhere to be accepted.


	2. A New Life

Max POV

Groaning, I sat up. The sheets were wrapped around my in a combination that could have confined Houdini. That memory had visited me in dream form on multiple occasions over the last three years. I had almost grown accustomed to the sequence of events – who am I kidding, that dream will always bother me. Looking around, I scanned the familiar turquoise walls and dark wooden furniture. The surroundings of my room soothed my frazzled nerves, as they normally did.

Struggling out of the sheets, I stood up, aware of the fact that the rest of the Flock would still be passed out. You should probably learn about the changes over the last three years – and I can assure you, there are plenty. The Flock is composed of Jason, Amber, Patrick, Gracie, Xavier, and me. Jason, who is seventeen years old and stands at six feet and six inches, has straight black hair and blue eyes. With a muscular frame and broad shoulders, Jason can pretty much be a Calvin Klein model if he wanted to; my second-in-command is also trustworthy, outgoing, and funny. He can control water, breathe underwater, and has super strength. Amber, who is sixteen – almost seventeen – and has brown hair and amber eyes. She is about two or so inches shorter than I. Gardening is her favorite pastime; her super powers are reading and controlling minds and healing. Xavier is fourteen, has curly red hair and blue eyes, and is six feet and three inches. He is hilarious, equipped with the ability to make every room happier the second he enters. X has the ability to shape shift and turn to steel. Gracie is eleven and already stands at five feet and five inches. She has blonde hair and stormy gray eyes. While she is generally the sweetest, friendliest little girl you will meet, she loves messing with the weather. Her power is the ability to manipulate and control the weather – her favorite is making thunder and lightning. Lastly, Patrick is a nine year old who can melt anybody's heart in five seconds. Of course, the power to manipulate emotions might aid in that effort. Patrick has blonde hair and brown eyes.

That's my Flock, and I love them. End of discussion. I crossed my room, padding down the endless hallway. We lived in a house – mansion might be the better word to describe it – that was more than expansive. Our basement was a movie theater, containing a one hundred inch flat screen, snack bar, every gaming system known to the earth, and enough movies to watch for the next twenty years. The upper floors were fourteen enormous bedrooms. We had a living room, family room, play room, music room, kitchen, dining room, formal dining room, and foyer. Each bedroom was accompanied by a full bathroom. The backyard matched the house in grandness.

There was an Olympic-size swimming pool, patio, grass field for sports, basketball court, tiki bar, tree house for Gracie and Patrick, a hammock for everyone, and a section of forest that was partially on our yard.

By now, you are probably wondering how we could afford all this. Easy: Jeb had siphoned money from the School and Itex. I didn't mind, it was only harming the lowest people on Earth. And yes, I have grown closer to Jeb over these three years. Still, he didn't have my full trust, though. Entering the kitchen, I yawned and rubbed my eyes. I had changed as well; I was able to use my hyper-speed for running as well and I can control fire. Like Jason, I have super strength as well. I am six feet and one inch.

Running my fingers through my hair, I grabbed a cereal bowl, Cheerios, and milk. Just as I was pouring the cereal, a scream reached my ears. Gracie ran down the stairs, fully dressed in a tank top and shorts to cope with the California heat. She jumped up and down.

"We have new neighbors!" She squealed. The rest of the Flock ran down the stairs, assessing the situation.

"Did Max start cooking again?" Xavier asked. I glared.

"Haha, very funny." I told him, rolling my eyes an trying to disguise my smile.

"Can we go meet them, Max?" Patrick begged, his brown eyes shining.

We were all decked out in pajamas, save Gracie, but I could understand her excitement. Ever since we had moved in, the house had been vacant. To keep safe, we had limited interaction with non-Flockies.

"I-" The doorbell rang, abruptly stopping our conversation. It was ten a.m. already, but I had thought none of us would be up for another hour or so, considering the fact that we were up until three in the morning watching a movie marathon.

We all sprinted to the door, but I was the first one there by far, for I had used my super speed and reached the door in a fraction of a second. Peaking through the window, I saw a woman in her forties.

Opening the door, the Flock crowded behind me, staring at the visitor.


	3. Invitations

"Hello, I'm your new neighbor. My name is Valencia Martinez."

All the air was crushed from my lungs. In front of the Flock was a woman who seemed to be in her mid-forties. She had warm brown eyes and dark hair. My mom was here.

"Hi." I struggled to get the word out.

"Are your parents home?" She asked, smiling sweetly.

Behind me, the Flock shifted behind me, shuffling and looking at each other. I left my shoulders sag. _My own mother didn't recognize me. She has no idea who I am. _It felt as if the entire galaxy was sitting on my chest.

Mentally, I prepared myself and calmed down. Taking a deep breath, I gave Mom-sorry, my neighbor, a gentle smile.

"Our parents passed away. I am the legal guardian." I explained, repeating the lie that was used so often that if had almost become part of my life.

Valencia's eyes filled with sorrow. "Oh, I am so sorry. Are these your brothers and sisters?"

"Yes, ma'am." I answered.

"Well, I was just wondering if you would like to come over for dinner tonight, as a way to get acquainted with each other." She exclaimed, looking so excited that I was sure she would be crushed if I said anything but "yes".

About to apologize and turn down the offer, I felt a tugging on my tank top. Looking down, I saw Patrick and Gracie.

"Please, Max?" Patrick whispered, his eyes as big as saucers.

I sighed and nodded, "Sure."

Looking upwards and reluctantly meeting the eyes of my mother, I accepted her invitation. We were to go to the house across the street at six p.m. The Flock, overjoyed, began their day, happily chatting about what the other family would be like.

Meanwhile, I went directly to my room and got dressed and ready for the day. Opening the back door, I shouted, "I'm going out!" and grabbed my keys. Just as I escaped inot the lazing heat, Jason latched onto my hand.

He spun me around, locking eyes with me. Jason looked worried, his brow wrinkled and his eyes caring. My knees suddenly felt weak.

"What's wrong?" He whispered.

Ella POV

I hauled another box into the new house. Mom had expressed her thoughts on the Flock and us moving into a new, grand house. Over the last few years, the Flock has been moving from house to house, always looking tired, stressed, and battered whenever they visited. Angel, their leader, was not doing the best job, so Fang took over. He had been leading a secret hunt with Iggy to look for Max for the past year. The rest of the Flock was oblivious to the fact that they were looking for Max.

Mom just arrived back from the neighbors, probably some stiff parents with snobby, snotty, spoiled-rotten children. I had managed to begin to forgiven Mom for what she did to Max, but I was still furious. I had just learned to hide the emotions on the surface. Luckily, Iggy was there for me constantly.

Setting the box down in the living room, I looked at Fang and Iggy carrying the dining room table inside. How Mom would get this set up by six, I have no idea. Gazzy, Nudge, and Angel came in carrying chairs. I went up the grand staircase, strode down the lengthy hallway, and entered my breath-taking room. It was so large, I was sure clouds would begin to form below the ceiling. Luckily, we had already gotten the furniture for everyone's bedroom already. Now, all I had to go was unpack everything. Oh, god. Maybe I should just ask Mom about the family.

Jumping down the stairs, I scanned the surroundings, finally finding Mom organizing the cutlery.

"Would you like to help?" She wondered. I shrugged, grabbing a handful of forks anyway.

"So, how are our neighbors?" I pestered, trying to act nonchalant.

"Well, there is only one house near us. They are mostly teenagers, with no parents. Poor dears. The one girl, I guess she is the oldest since she in the legal guardian, she looks like…" Mom trailed off, swallowing thickly before shaking her head dismissively and staring intently at some steak knives.

"Like who, Mom?" My curiosity soared, provoking me to ask questions.

"She looks like one of my old patients, a very rare patient." She mumbled, leaving to help Angel, who was struggling with a box labeled "Total's Stuff".

I nodded, thoughts streaking through my mind like shooting stars. What could get Mom so worked up? I guess I would just see later tonight.

Nudge POV

I heaved my last box of clothes up the staircase, feeling sore already. However, I was anxious about tonight. What if there was going to be a cute boy there? Oh my gosh, I have to plan out the perfect outfit!

Honestly, I was glad for the distraction. Lately, the Flock has been a slump, taking major blows left and right from the School and Erasers. Not to mention the bitter, ever-present ache that relentlessly reminded us of Maximum Ride.

How could we be so idiotic about letting her go?

Anyway, I looked at my dresser, pulling neatly folded clothes from the largest box and organizing them into drawers. Of course, I would have to help the rest o the Flock get dressed as well, to ensure that everyone looked amazing!

Jason POV

I looked into Max's beautiful eyes, wondering what could be troubling her so deeply. She seemed so worried, and I didn't want anything to be wrong when it came to Max. Unfortunately, our lives seem to be a cluster of every wrong someone could do.

"What's wrong?" I whispered, not wanting the rest of the Flock to be worried. Her face became void of emotion, her eyes staring straight into mine.

"Nothing." She muttered, twisting out of my hold and taking off. I stood outside the door, staring at Max's figure rapidly disappearing on the skyline.

_Why won't she take to me? _I thought, the idea that Max was keeping something from me hurting me to the very core. We always told each other everything. It was one of the reasons why we had become so close over the years we have been together. Wait, I have not been entirely honest with Max. There is one secret I never unleashed upon her, for I was worried about how she would react to it. I mean, would she hate me forever? I know what happened when she left the original Flock, and I would never repeat Fang's mistake, but does Max know that?

My one secret I can never tell is also the one sentence I want to scream from the heavens.

I am in love with my best friend.


	4. A Night to Remember

Max POV

I entered the house, having just gotten back from a long fly to release my emotions and it was already two p.m. Grace and Amber attacked me the second I entered the kitchen, unzipping my blue hoodie and craving the chocolate cookies Xavier has made.

"Maximum Ride," Grace demanded in her most authoritative eleven year old voice, "you need an outfit for tonight." She stood, proud and tall, positively assured that I would agree. Amber stood next to her, grinning. I couldn't decide if that smile was wicked or excited.

Rummaging through the fridge, I felt the two stand behind me; the hairs on the back of my neck prickled. Emerging with a handful of delectable chocolaty glory, one stuffed in my mouth. Amber reached up and plucked the cookie from my lips, insisting that I would need every second to plan the perfect outfit.

"What's wrong with what I am wearing now?" I questioned, leaning against the archway into the kitchen.

Grace's jaw dropped; she took one hand and Amber snatched the other. Together, the affectionately dragged me up the stairs against my will, slamming my head against a wall in the process.

"Ow!" I informed them, the remarl falling on deaf ears as I was pushed into a chair in Amber's room.

"Makeup, hair, accessorizing, and a dress – this is going to be amazing!" Grace shrieked, picking up something that looked like a pencil.

"Don't you dare put that writing utensil in my eye!" I screamed, wriggling out of the way. Grace laid a calming hand on my shoulder while Amber stopped moving the "makeup" towards my eye.

"Calm down, it is just makeup." Amber whispered, attempting to release my panic. Note the work attempting. Finally, - and with a bit of mind control – I was relaxed.

That was two hours ago. My body hurt from this modern form of torture, but it was finally over. My eyebrows had been plucked, my nails painted, my makeup done, my hair curled, and an outfit picked out for me, because I was too "fashionably challenged, considering your previous statement about what you were going to wear". Grace had then muttered, "Jeans and a hoodie, what if there were cute boys?!" Amber covered my eyes, guiding me to her floor-to-ceiling mirror.

I was permitted to see what I looked like, after waiting and listening to Grace and Amber's zealous whispers.

Amber's hands released the captives that were my eyes. Blinking to adjust my eyes to the sudden brightness, I nearly fainted. No doubt about it, I did not look like Maximum Ride anymore. I looked like someone who…I couldn't even think to describe. I looked like a model, with a turquoise blue dress and stopped just past mid-thigh. Amber had forced me into black heels. My dirty blonde hair was curled expertly and my makeup was little but perfect.

"You look spectacular." Amber awed.

"We still have to fix each other!" Grace remembered, hustling off to her room. Amber was pulled out of her trance as she pushed me out of her room so she could change. Practicing walking in the heels, I wondered if they truly _were_ medieval torture devices. After tripping twice, I finally got hang of it. However, I didn't quite trsut myself to walk down the stairs yet. Instead, I slipped off the heels and moved down the grand staircase, entering the family room.

The second I relaxed on the couch, Jason came down the stairs, also a victim of Amber and Grace. My jaw dropped to the floor and my eyes widened to roughly the size of moons. He wore a blue shirt that perfectly matched his eyes, black dress pants, and dress shoes. His black hair was swept back, showing his startling electric blue eyes.

"Hey." He said, examining my makeover. Suddenly, I felt self-conscious.

"You look stunning." Jason exclaimed, settling in on the couch next to me, watching the TV.

"Same for you." I returned the favor, reclining in the sofa, flicking through channels.

Gracie pushed us out of the house after the clock finally ticked to 5:59 p.m. Honestly, we all looked amazing, maybe overdressed, but no doubt about it – the Flock looked stunning. We rang the doorbell, waiting on their porch.

For inside, a scream, running feet, and some yelling were heard. A second later, Mom opened the door with a warm smile. Her eyes widened at our outfits, considering all the girls were modeling dresses while the boys were more or less wearing suits.

"You all look fantastic! Come in, come in." She complimented, holding the door open. I smiled in return, uttering a friendly, "Thank you."

Angel, Gazzy, and Nudge watched eagerly from the hallway, apparently having been ordered to stay back. Feeling my smile slip into an emotionless mask, I almost collapsed. Before anyone else noticed, Jason wrapped his arm around my waist, supporting me.

"You okay?" He whispered so only I could hear.

"Yeah." I muttered, following my mom, who was escorting us into the dining room. Fang, Iggy, and Ella were already seated at the table, wearing normal clothes. Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel followed after us, sitting in seats scattered around the table.

"Wow," Nudge gushed, "you guys look amazing. You must be great at fashion." She made eye contact with me. Forgetting the nervous feelings plaguing my mind, I almost snorted. Amber _did._

"Actually, Amber and I helped everyone chose their outfits. She is fashionably challenged." Grace grinned at me. I rolled myy eyes and sighed, "Guilty."

"Well," Mom interjected, "I am Ms. Martinez or Valencia or Val, I don't mind which." She began introductions. As if on cue, Angel introduced herself.

"I am Angel and I'm nine." She smiled sweetly. Patrick tugged on my dress and said, "I'm nine too!"

"I'm Tony and I'm eleven." _What happened to Zephyr?_ I wondered as Gazzy introduced himself.

"I'm Krystal and I'm fourteen." Nudge attempted to continue speaking but she was cut off my Iggy clamping a hand over her mouth.

"I am Jeff and I just turned seventeen." He greeted.

"I'm Nick and I am seventeen."

"I'm Ella and I am fifteen."

We all shuffled uneasily before Patrick rushed forward, full of energy. He was clearly eager to introduce himself.

"I am Patrick and I am nine years old, just like Angel. Hey, wasn't there an Angel in your old-" Patrick had turned towards me and was about to ask about the ex-Flock, which was sitting right in front of us.

I laughed nervously and cut him off, "In my old story I used to tell you about? Yes, there was." I smiled, kneeling to his height and brushing his hair from his eyes with two fingers, which meant _stop._ I had taught them the signal.

"I am Gracie and I am eleven." Gracie tried to break the awkward tension, smiling her distracting smile. Everyone focused on her once more, except for Fang and Angel. They both seemed to be mentally collaborating.

"I can't get into their heads." Angel whispered; I almost didn't hear it, but I was intently focused on the two.

_Amber_, I thought grinning. _Did you block our minds?_

_You know it. I knew it was the original Flock. Are you okay? And is that Fang? He is-_

"Max? Max!" Jason called, whispering in my ear. A shiver rattled down my spine as I realized it was my turn.

"I am-" Apparently, I had taken to long because Gracie exclaimed, "She is Maximum, but she likes to be called Max."

I froze. So did every other person in the room.


	5. Oblivious

**Shiver282: I can assure that there will be minor FAX, but whether or not it will be a stable relationship, I can't tell you. **

** I just want to say thank you to all the readers, reviewers, followers and so on. You guys are amazing, but I don't want to get sappy, so I will leave it there [insert apology here]. This week (Friday the twelfth to Saturday the twentieth), I am going on vacation, so I will try to update, but it might be harder. I can't make promises. **

Max POV

"Maximum? That is a wonderful name." Mom choked out, clearing her throat and straightening in her seat. Despite Mom's calm attitude, every member of the Flock, as well as Ella, was staring directly at me. Iggy nudged Ella and whispered, "What did Max look like before I got my sight back?"

I almost gaped: Iggy can see again? Jason wrapped one protective arm around my waist, which, in all honesty, I did not mind _at all._ Motioning for us to sit, Mom uncovered platters of London broil, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad, and lasagna. We sat down, laced in between the old Flock and new Flock. With Nudge on my right and Jason on my left, I found the strength to speak; maybe I could act normal.

"F-Nick, would you pass the mashed potatoes, please?" I asked, cursing myself for nearly saying Fang.

"Could you pass me the salad as well, _F-Nick?"_Iggy implored, hinting at Fang, his eyebrows raised. Fangs eyes widened.

"You heard it too?" He wondered, breathlessly. Iggy nodded, confirming the situation. Everyone around the table watched with rapt attention, curious as to what would happen. The noise caused by cutlery stopped abruptly as Fang turned to me and asked, tenderly, "Max?"

I stiffened, picking up my fork and calmly stabbing a piece of meat. Swiveling my head to meet Fang's obsidian eyes, I sighed.

"Hello, Fang." I greeted, returned to my protein. My plan was that, maybe, the Flock wouldn't blow this situation out of proportion if I was not surprised or even remotely emotional. Jason pressed his leg against mine, trying to show support.

The avian-hybrids in the room all stared at me as if I was the newest exhibit at the zoo. Ella was the first one to break the silence and run forward. Her chair fell to the floor, toppling to the ground with an ominous and startling noise. The younger kids jumped. She wrapped her arms around me.

"You look gorgeous, Max!" She exclaimed, squeezing the air out of my lungs. Holding my sister, she sniffled against my shoulder, as I was more than a full head taller than her.

"Flock, this is Ella, my human sister. You remember when I told you about her, right?" I re-introduced Ella to everyone, the Flock nodding. Gazzy tilted his head in confusion, his forehead creasing.

"Max, we already know Ella, of course." He stated, clearly puzzled. I narrowed my eyes, trying to keep my voice even.

"I was not talking to you guys." The words came out colder than expected, a chill sweeping through the room and leaving those sitting down with a shiver.

"But you are back! We can be together again!" Iggy joyously declared, standing up, as if to celebrate. I cocked one eyebrows, trying to keep my flaring temper under control.

"I have my own family now." I remarked, sitting down once more, abandoning Ella, who had backed away from me after hearing the pure fury and venom in my voice.

"_We're_ your family." Mom reminded me. Standing up in the blink of an eye, I clenched my fists. Literally shaking with fury, I felt my emotions flare. Fang started yelling and Mom gasped. Jason grinned at the ex-Flock's reactions, along with the rest of the Flock. He moved forward, smiling at my mom.

"Do you mind if I just…talk to Max for a minute?" He asked politely, barely waiting for a response before pulling me into the kitchen. Jason held me, his arms wrapped protectively around me. The flames that were licking up my arms were extinguished as I buried my head in his chest. Feeling safety and security, my breathing calmed down. With one hand, he stroked my hair, the other massaging the spot in between my wings. Finally, I faced the inevitable, removing myself from the comfort of Jason's shoulder.

Going on my tiptoes, I kissed Jason on the cheek and thanked him for helping me. He grinned, his face lighting up. Tucking a piece of my hair behind my ear, he leaned down and whispered, "Anytime…shorty."

Narrowing my eyes, I hit him playfully. He clutched his arm jokingly. Opening my mouth to retort, he instead guided me back into the dining room, where polite dining and meaningless conversation was being made. Slipping into our seats, Jason and I resumed dinner. Ignoring the stares thrown my way, I focused my attention on the questions Mom was asking.

"So, how did you and the Flock meet?" Mom asked, smiling gently.

"Max saved us from the School!" Patrick announced, proudly smiling at me. At that second, I wanted to pull him into my lap and hug him with all the care and compassion in the world. Instead, I reached behind Fang's chair and ruffled his hair.

Fang POV

Max left the room with that…that replacement. There was silence for an incredibly awkward minute before Nudge exploded.

"So," She started, making eye contact with Amber and Grace, "was it hard to get Max to wear a dress?" A whole conversation began as the explained the entire fight to get Max dressed up like that. Nudge then retold the story of Sam in Virginia, and how they had futilely attempted to assure that Max looked amazing for her first date.

I tensed during this recollection. The boy who had introduced himself as Xavier looked over at me.

"Are you Fang, as in the Fang, Max's ex?" He asked, his eagerness showing only too well. I clenched my hands against the bottom of the chair, trying not to snarl.

"Yes." I growled, brushing my dark hair out of my eyes.

"Is Max dating Jason?" I blurted it out, saying it louder than expected. How could one girl make me lose my cool? I was _Fang._

_But it is not just 'one girl'. This is _Maximum Ride_, the hottie warrior who I have loved since the days in the School._

Patrick, the little boy, made a face. "Ew, no way! Max and Jason aren't dating. Girls are gross."

"They get better, trust me." Iggy assured Patrick.

Xavier looked back at me. "Well, as you know, they aren't dating, but they like each other and are, of course, oblivious."

My heart sunk. _But they are oblivious. If they don't know, I can get my Max back. _I thought, swearing to myself that I will fix things with Max and med our relationship.


	6. Stay Calm

**A/N: I am so sorry, I was on vacation for a week with my best friend's family, and now I am vacation a week with my family (and said best friend), but I will be able to post. I promise I will send some long chapters (and maybe a PJO/HOO fanfic or Harry Potter or MR).**

Iggy POV

After two hours of polite conversation and catching up, Max and her friends went home, leaving the Flock behind. I couldn't ignore how they were "the Flock" and we weren't. No doubt about it, we all miss Max, evenAngel. Never would the youngest family member admit it, but I heard her at night, talking to Celeste, weeping about how sorry she was.

Fang disappeared into his room the second Max left, probably to release the pent up emotion. While it was hard for everyone, seeing Max with other _people_, Fang was probably affected the most. There was something between Jason and Max that Fang hated – something Max and Fang used to have. Carrying a stack of plates into the kitchen, I reflected how much Max had changed – or at least, how she looked tonight. I wasn't able to see her before she left, but Nudge had shown me pictures.

First and foremost, Max wore a _dress._ Since when has Max liked dresses? Seeing Max in a dress is roughly as rare as seeing an educated Eraser riding on an electric blue unicorn's back: you would _never _see that. Sliding the dishes into the dishwasher, Ella appeared at me side. I wrapped one arm around her waist, steering us towards the living room, where the rest if the residents in the house were gathering.

Fang was still absent from the room, but Dr. Martinez greeted me with a friendly smile. I bet you are wondering _how_ exactly I can see. Well, it is simple. Sort of. The School decided they wanted to try another night vision eye experiment, but did not want to create another "defective mutant" so they undid their mistakes with more advanced technology. However, before they could ruin my sight _again_, we broke out of the hell-hole.

Running my fingers through my spiked hair, I relaxed on the couch. We sat in silence, eager to discuss what had happened but avoiding it as if it would kill us. To be honest, it sort of was. It is like your mom/sister leaving to live a happier, better life with another family.

Sighing, I broke the ice. "So, Max wore a dress. We should all let that sink in for a second – Maximum "tough-as-nails" Ride was wearing a _dress._" Grins spread across the room like wildfire, while I proudly smirked. I accomplished what I was aiming for: making my family happy, for at least a second.

"I know – that Grace has some serious skill to convince Max to wear a dress!" Nudge squealed, "And it was perfect for Max!" Angel nodded, as well as Ella and Dr. Martinez, who both looked a bit teary. Hugging Ella to my chest, I grinned around the room.

"We have at least _some_ luck to move in next door to the girl we have been looking for." I stated, finding some nods and smirks.

Fang POV

I shoved my door open, slamming it back into place for some privacy. The black walls surrounded me, accented by navy blue and some white. Pacing around my room, I focused on every detail of Max's new "family". Most of all, I focused on Max. From the second she walked in, I was stunned by her utter beauty and grace. She had looked so familiar, yet different. Max's flawless, tanned skin had glowed, especially when that Jason guy had his overly possessive arm around her waist.

My anger flared, a feeling of déjà vu overcoming my mind. Hadn't I been pacing another room, so many years ago when Max was out on a date with _Sam_, the boy from Virginia. Back at Anne's place, I had almost broken the contents of my room trying to calm myself down and deal with the anger of Max being with any another person.

Taking deep breaths, I ran my fingers through my black hair. All I needed was an extensive fly to calm myself. Opening the window, I leaped out, unfurling my wings. Propelling myself upwards, my eyelids slipped down. With the wind whipping my face and caressing my feathers, I felt soothed, even peaceful. Looking down at the world, I scanned the horizon. The sun had set, but I could see exceptionally well in the dark. Trees coated the area, the sky blacker than night itself, scattered with twinkling diamonds casting light on the Earth. Smoothly, I banked, turning to further inspect the landscape.

Unfortunately, I was graced with the appearance of another avian-hybrid. Narrowing my eyes, I made eye contact with Jason, his blue eyes ice cold and his body rigid.

"What are you doing here?" I snapped, venom dripping off my words. He tensed, clenching his fists. Jason was fitted in a pair of flannel pajama pants and a blue tank top, having gone from a dress shirt and pants.

"I've have lived here longer than you. This is my territory, not yours." He growled his voice steely. Rolling my eyes, I kept my face emotionless.

"Well that is all going to change. I hope you enjoyed it while you had it." I stated, blatantly telling him my intentions.

His face transformed in a second. "Just because Max doesn't like you anymore-" My entire body became taunt as I rocketed towards him, tackling him out of the air.

"She loved me then, she will love me now. We have been best friends since the beginning. You have only known her for three years!" I shouted, launching a volley of punches on his face. We hurtled towards the ground, the grass excited to meet us.

Under my attack, Jason flashed that infuriating smirk of his, laughing, "Big mistake, buddy."

Jason caught my fist and held it with strength beyond avian power. Leave it to me to pick a fight with the hybrid that has super strength. His lue eyes flashed as he kicked me in the stomach, sending me to the ground. I had just enough time to slow down my fall and land on my hands and knees.

"You are so unbelievable!" Jason shouted, sauntering towards me. Jumping back up so I landed on the balls of my feet, I prepared my body for a fight. Jason sprinted towards me, lunging at me. I roundhouse kicked his in his shoulder, sending the guy backwards, sprawled on the ground. Tackling him, I pinned Jason to the ground. He flipped me over so my back was against the ground. Punching my face, he broke my nose. Blood splattered everywhere.

Possessed by an unimaginable rage, I threw him off of my body, kicking him in the chest. A satisfying snap told me I broke a rib. He grit his teeth in pain, sending a lying scissor kick to my neck and forcing me to the ground.

"You think you are so tough!" Jason shouted in my face, kneeing me in the stomach. The breath let my lungs and I made an effort to catch it. Wheezing, I stood up and regained m, strength for a handful of seconds. We were both breathing heavily. Folding my wings into my back, I rushed Jason, punching his jaw.

He yelled in pain, tackling me. We rolled across the ground, wrestling. I was faintly aware of doors slamming and yelling. Then I was being pulled away from Jason and Jason was being pulled away from me. Both of us were held in a death grip by Max. The two Flocks stood on their respective sides as Max threw both of us to our families.

"What the hell is going on?" Max said, but her mouth didn't move. Instead, another Max landed in front of Max. An identical copy.

"Maya." Max growled, facing her clone.


	7. Arguments

Max POV

I ran outside, super speed style, to find Fang and Jason brawling. They looked bloody and battered. The Flock was behind me, running as fast as they could. Iggy and the ex-Flock were already sprinting towards the two, but I arrived first, pulling the idiots apart. Questions raced through my mind, but I followed the training Jeb had given me and inspected the damage. Broken ribs, bloody noses, possible jaw injury, and some bruises, cuts, and bumps. Fang and Jason looked like messes, and I was about to ask just exactly what the hell happened when another unsuspected surprise appeared. Landing lightly on the ground, Maya, aka Max II, stood in front of me.

The last times we had been together, I had just left the Flock and we fought, yet again. Then, we had to fight when I broke Jason and the Flock from the School. I threw Fang by his family and Jason by ours. Maya and I stood in the middle of box. My Flock looked incredibly confused. Jason mustered the strength to stand up, as well as Fang.

"What the hell is going on?" She asked, examining Fang and Jason.

"Maya." I growled.

She narrowed her eyes, clenching her fists. Realizing I was doing the exact same thing, I glared even more intensely, preparing myself.

"What are you doing here?" She snapped, easing her tense muscles. I relaxed my body, but I refused to drop my guard. Every time we met up, it resulted in the near death of both of us. Fury flushed through my body as the venom in her words curled around my ears.

"I live here. What the hell are you doing here?" I snarled, "Planning to attempt to kill me, maybe?"

"Oh please. If anything, you are the murderous one. _I_ didn't kill my own brother." Maya remarked coolly. The air was knocked out of me as if I was rammed by a train.

Emotions built in my chest as everyone froze and went dead silent. My Flock didn't know that, even Jason didn't know. _Ari, my half-brother_, I thought. He had always made my life a living hell until the truth was revealed. He was good in the end, fighting for the right cause. I felt the tips of my fingers heat up, my anger flaring.

"It was an accident. We both know that. He came back to life. We resolved our problems. Besides, at least I _have _family. You are just my back-up, an unnecessary copy." I reminded her, my voice as cold as steel.

Surrounding us, everyone gaped. We all waited for the first punch to be thrown. It was obvious that Maya and I both wanted to rip each other to shreds.

"If I remember correctly, your own father was rooting for me to kill you. Explain that. Explain why they wanted me to take your place if you are so perfect."

"They knew you would stab the Flock in the back when they said so. The only reason you are alive is because I'm smart enough to realize that the School, and the By-Half plan, was wrong. You were merely their puppet. _That's_ why."

Maya lunged at me, but with super speed, I dodged her attack. She caught her balance and glared at me.

"You think you are so perfect, but you aren't. All my life, I heard, 'Maximum Ride is the ultimate hybrid. She scored perfect scores on all our tests. She can fly so high and she is so strong.' Who cares?! I am just as good as you." Maya snapped, straightening her form. We looked exactly alike, standing just over a foot from each other. My arms burst into flames as I unleashed a flurry of super fast punches. Maya, with equal super speed, defended the attacks, barely avoiding my fists. I swiped her feet out from under her, pinning her to the ground. She burst into flames as well, but it didn't affect either of us. We were fire-proof.

Punching her nose, blood gushed from it. Maya pushed me off, brutally kicking me. I flew backwards twenty feet, leaving a dirt trail. Standing up, I came up to Maya in less than a second, roundhouse kicking her. It was her turn to fly backwards. My pajamas were dirty and bloody; Maya's clothes were in the same state. This was a savage fight.

Maya and I rushed each other, our flaming fists meeting each other in the middle. As a result of our superpowers, a wave of force exploded around us, causing everyone to fall backwards. We were breathing heavily. I felt drained from using my fire, and so did Maya, but we were pissed, and we would fight until the other was dead.

"Girls! Enough! No more fighting. Everyone come in my house right now. We are going to sort this out whether or not you like it. Maximum, I want to talk to you personally, as well." Her tone was laced with a no-nonsense attitude, but I was not affected.

"We don't need-" I started, defending my own Flock. They didn't need to suffer anymore tonight.

"Maximum Ride, I took you into this world, and so help me…" Sighing, I bowed to my mom's power, following her into the house. Behind me, my Flock shuffled anxiously, hesitating, before following me. I helped Jason walk in, allowing him to lean on me.

His breathing was ragged as a result from his broken ribs, but we could fix that. After all, Amber could heal him. Meanwhile, blood dripped from my cuts and mouth. Maya was in the same condition, her nose spurting the metallic-tasting liquid.

Sitting in the living room, we all kept our eyes on Mom, waiting for her commands. Instead, she went into the kitchen and came back with a mountain of delectable chocolate chip cookies, milk, and enough glasses for everyone. Sitting up, I made a motion to help her before realizing what I was doing.

"Thank you, Max." She smiled as I released her from the milk and glasses. Situating herself, Mom ordered everyone to eat. No one touched the cookies.

"Oh, come on. I know you guys like cookies. Especially you, Max. You are particularly fond of my chocolate chip cookies." Reluctantly, I picked up a cookie, filling a glass of milk and eating it gingerly, as if it was poisoned. Instead, warm chocolate coated my tongue. Pulling out three more cookies, I relaxed in the couch.

After everyone was cozy and had a cookie, Mom insisted that Jason, Fang, Maya, and I were to be bandaged and cleaned. Jason would borrow some of Fang's clothes and I would borrow Nudge's after we all took showers.

Quickly, I washed the dirt and blood off my skin, the steaming stream of water working fantastically. On the sink was a pair of Nudge's pajama shorts and a tank top. Pulling on the clothes, I groaned. Being about seven inches taller than Nudge, the shorts were _very short_ and the tank top was smaller than I would prefer.

Walking down the stairs, I was greeted by stares from everyone. Being the first one down, Mom gave me immediate medical attention, covering my cuts and checking my mouth for any serious injuries. I had bit my upper lip and had a good-sized gash. Maya came down next, and she needed her nose set. Jason went to Mom, found out what was hurt, and then Amber, who healed him. Fang had quite a few injuries, so his fixing and bandaging took longer than everyone else.

Finally, we all relaxed – sort of – on the couches and floor. Mom leaned forward and looked at me, and then Fag and Jason.

"So what happened?" She implored.


	8. Work Together

**A/N I was going to post this last night, but we had a huge thunderstorm and as I was finishing it *poof* the power goes out. I lost it, so I rewrote it today. Probably not going to be as good, but enjoy. And thanks so much for all the encouragement, reviews, follows, and favorites. You guys are awesome. **

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Maximum Ride. **

Max POV

Everyone focused on Fang and Jason, who were both dead silent, staring down each other. As the tension rose and the silence became awkward, Mom cut in, smiling warmly. Her comforting and supportive demeanor never faltered.

"Well, why don't we reintroduce ourselves? Perhaps we could share our superpowers or something interesting about ourselves?" She suggested brightly.

Looking around the room, Mom made eye contact with me, "Max, why don't you start?"

Hesitating for a second, I finally began to introduce myself…again. Shifting slightly, I stated, "I'm Maximum Ride. I have super strength, super speed, the ability to breathe underwater, and fire control."

And so my Flock continued, revealing their powers. Finally, the ex-Flock began, starting with Angel and going from youngest to oldest.

"I'm Angel; I can breathe underwater, read and control minds, and shape-shift." So, the superpower jackpot hasn't gotten a new power? Shocking…

"I'm the Gasman, or Gazzy. I have the ability to control my farts, up to the point where they can kill. And I can mimic voices." Great, a ten year old with deadly farts, just what everyone needs.

"I'm Nudge, but my real name is Monique. I have telekinesis, and I can, like, feel emotions from objects that people have touched. I can breathe underwater, and I can hack anything. Which is pretty useful, especially that once time at the Instit-" Iggy, being the closest one to Nudge, covered her mouth with his hand.

"The Nudge Channel, everyone." I said, before I could stop myself. Gazzy and Iggy laughed, Angel giggled, and Nudge feigned being hurt, using all her willpower not to smile. The Flock creased their eyebrows, and, feeling guilty, I fell back into the couch, trying to give my tensed muscles a break.

"I'm Iggy. I have night vision, I can breathe underwater, and I can teleport." Iggy remarked, suddenly concentrating. He disappeared, only to reappear in the archway to the kitchen, munching on an apple.

"Sup?" He greeted before calmly reclaiming is seat on one of the many couches. Rolling my eyes, I felt the hairs rise on the back of my neck. Fang leaned forward, preparing for the introduction he had to give. His face was a refreshing (not) mask, void of all emotion. Does he ever smile? I wondered.

_Only for you…_ The Voice whispered, and I can almost see the devious smile on a face that is not male or female, young or old. But how could the Voice be back? I hadn't heard it in years, a refreshing and much-needed vacation.

Coking on my cookie, I gasped for air. Stares immediately focused on my bent over form, the room falling into stunned and worried silence. Fang and Jason both moved forward slightly, inspecting my body to confirm I was fine.

"What's wrong?" Fang and Jason asked in unison, emotion penetrating their eyes. The two boys stood on equal ground, not fighting, only trying to help, even if it meant working together. For once, they had a mutual respect for each other, as their purposes were identical: to ensure my safety. Flashing a reassuring smile, I straightened my back, trying to act as if nothing had happened.

"Everything is okay. I am fine."

Clearly, my smile was ineffective, because the crease in the Flock and ex-Flock's foreheads did not disappear. Regaining my authority, I tried to clear the suspense and tension – which was thick enough that you required a butcher's knife to slice through it.

"Fang, wasn't it your turn?" I reminded, looking at him. He returned to his seat, Jason following suit.

"I'm Fang," He started, becoming quiet and protected once more. "I have invisibility, I can breathe underwater, and control darkness."

_Everything isn't okay, Maximum. You must be prepared for what is going to happen. Keep in mind, it must happen, to help the two Flocks bond. You must merge the two groups and lead them. _

_ What?_ I thought, mentally screaming. _What's going on? What's happening?_

_ I am so sorry, Maximum. This couldn't be prevented, despite my efforts. You have to save the world, and to do that, all bridges must be rebuilt. You have to work together. _

_ Why? Tell me, you have to! Something bad is going to happen?! _I shrieked, trying to pry information from the Voice.

_I must go now. Get ready, and remember, work together!_ The Voice discontinued our conversation, ignoring all of my pleas.

Mom ad just introduced herself as Ella and my parent. Standing up, I surveyed the room, suddenly frantic.

"Max…?" Mom asked.

"We have to leave, right now! Something is coming, something bad. Patrick, Angel, you have to hide. We can't let them take you, or anyone."

"What's wrong? Why are you acting like this?" Amber asked, as everyone became incredibly worried.

"The Voice, it wants us to work together, something bad is going to happen. We have to leave!" I nearly screamed.

"The Voice? That thing inside your head?" X wondered. The ex-Flock chocked, moving around the room.

"Oh, pretty birdies, I am back and ready to help." A maniacal laughter echoed throughout the house. Slowly, as if from a horror movie, the front doors opened. In stepped the one Eraser who I never thought I would see again.

"Ari?" I whispered. 

He was seven when he died for the last time. Ari is ten now.

"Hi, Max." He said, with a wolfish grin. There was no malicious behavior shown: his voice was loving and friendly. His eyes only held hope and excitement, as well as love. I took a step forward, standing up.

"Ari?" I whispered again, worried it was just a dream. My brother…was back?

Ari held his arms up, inviting me for a hug. Meanwhile, emotions surged through me: happiness, excitement, and so any other positive feelings, but the painful memories, the death of my baby brother, all the times he tried to kill us, were dug up.

Moving forward slowly, I inspected him for anything that would mean this wasn't real. His neck was slightly crocked, where I had broken it, and he was wearing the same Italian leather boots, shirt, and jeans. He was half-morphed, as always. Basically, he looked exactly the same.

"How did you come back to life?" I asked.

"The School, but I managed to escape. They have no idea where I am." He exclaimed, proud of his own achievement. Slowly, I had been moving towards Ari for an embrace, but now I realized I was only three feet from him.

"Hey Ari, remember that time when we were in Virginia and I saw?" I asked, testing a memory.

"Of course, you were with Sam. I was with Max II. It is really me, Max. I promise." He grinned again.

"I know, I am just trying to remember some really great memories we had with you. Wasn't that time we went to the theme park, Nudge, Angel, you, and I, amazing? In Germany, right before I fought Omega. The rides were ridiculous."

Ari's eyes showed concentration, as if he was trying to remember the memory that didn't exist. A second later (it seemed like an eternity to me), he smiled.

"Of course."

I could almost see Nudge and Angel's confusion – we had never gone to an amusement park in Germany.

I held my arms up, smiling warmly. Carefully making sure the smile shined, even in my eyes, I allowed Ari to rush forward. Just as he was about to encircle me for a hug, I grabbed his arm and flipped him over backwards. He lay, sprawled out on the floor, on his stomach. I twisted his arm, knowing just how easy it would be to snap the bone.

"You liar! You aren't my brother. You are a clone with his memories." I growled, adding more pressure to the arm.

"Okay, you are good, Ride. We thought if I had that weak worm's memories, I would get you. But you got us. Too bad it's too late, you rotten runways. We knew that once Dr. Martinez bought this house, we would get the Flock; they would be relaxed and not expecting. We didn't count we would get your group of mutants as well. You might as well give up, tell us where you live. Because, even if you escape, we will find where you've been living."

Through the windows and doors, Erasers, who I was sure had been retired, M-Geeks, and Flyboys poured in. More than a hundred crowded in and around the house, easily.

I broke Ari's arm and stomped on the back of his head, feeling his nose crack against the wooden floor. Flipping around, I kicked his head to one side, feeling the neck snap. I felt tears, but forced them back. It wasn't Ari, I told myself. Just some clone.

Rejoining everyone in the living room from the foyer, I muttered, so only they could hear, "Jason, you break that skylight up there. Everyone, follow him and get as far away as possible. Don't fight. Go to the emergency camp. Stay there two weeks, and then go back to the house. Bring everyone. Fang, you and Iggy carry Mom. Amber and Maya, you carry Ella. When I say 'now', go."

Holding my hands up, I watched the second-in-command take the lead, surrounding us. He glowed with a cruel, harsh evil. It was obvious he wanted to kill us all; the only thing keeping him from doing that were his orders.

"Surrender now." He snarled. I showed him my palms.

"Good birdie. I don't know what they were talking about, you guys aren't so hard to capture." He growled, chuckling.

"Now!" I screamed, sending a wave of fire in a circle. The Flyboys melted like wax, leaving liquid puddles of metal. M-Geeks burnt to a crisp, and Erasers screamed in pain, some dying. Others were on fire. But there was still too many.

Distracted, the School's hunters didn't even register the fact that Jason whipped out his wings, rocketing through the window. Fang and Iggy, carrying Mom, went next, and so on. The leader finally put out his fur coat, snarling as everyone escaped. A shower of glass rained down, twinkling and reflecting the firelight. He rushed forward, grabbing Nudge, who was the last one, yanking her down by her ankle.

"NO!" I snarled, decking him as hard as I could across the face. Not only did he release Nudge, but his muzzle shattered and he flew back, breaking a wall and leaving an Eraser-sized hole.

"Come on!" Nudge called, flying through the window. M-Geeks attacked me, dancing around. They swiftly circled my form, which was about to turn into a vicious fighter.

Using my super speed, I weaved in and out of the M-Geeks, chopping and kicking the top of their heads. Panting, I examined my work. Twenty bloody-messes lay on the floor, their heads split into pieces. Flyboys meandered throughout the room, looking for weaknesses. Erasers growled and snarled from their group, never leaving their ranks.

"Max!" Amber shrieked from outside. My heart sank as I flew through the skylight to see what was happening outside. No…


	9. Kidnapped

Nudge POV

The Ari clone's second-in-command pulled me down by my ankle. Gritting my teeth as my wings bent in a slightly painful angle, I looked down just in time to see the Eraser flying backwards courtesy of Max. Calling for Max, I flew out the window, only to see everyone else hovering in the air, dodging Flyboys and flying Erasers. A helicopter rapidly approached, catching everyone off guard. While this happened, Angel was ripped away from the group, screaming bloody murder.

Patrick, the closest one to her, instantly fought, kicking the Flyboy in his barrel chest. It dropped a bit, but then began to attack Patrick. He struggled as everyone else, including myself, began fighting to save him. We were hopelessly outnumbered and fighting a losing battle, but that didn't matter. If they were going down, they would go down fighting. Ella and Dr. Martinez were standing in the tree house, unnoticed but throwing rocks and toys every time an enemy came within range.

Amber, noticing the distinct lack of a leader, screamed, "Max!" She seemed confident that Max could save up all, and so was I, unless she was stuck in the burning house. Angel and Patrick were already captured, but both Flocks didn't seem near giving up. In the background, sirens sounded, whirring into action.

I battled three Erasers at once, using their clumsy flight skills and my telekinesis, as well as my fists and feet. They could barely get a hit in before falling to the ground, as their wings couldn't move all of the sudden (thank you Whitecoats for programming me with telekinesis). Max appeared in the skylight, the perfect time to see Patrick and Angel being thrown into the awaiting helicopter. A look of despair flashed across her face, but it was almost immediately replaced by a fiery determination. She went into hyper-drive, weaving in and out of Flyboys and Erasers.

Ella began screaming. Craning my neck, I saw M-Geeks begin to crawl up the tree, attempting to get Max's family. Decking another Eraser and causing three more to drop out of the sky, I rushed over to Ella and Dr. M., mentally throwing as many M-Geeks off the tree as I could, but more climbed up. Arriving at my destination, I controlled branches, large stones, and anything heavy enough to knock the M-Geeks off. While continuing that, I landed on the deck and began chopping the tops of appearing enemy heads. Everyone fell down, dead, bringing two more with it.

Meanwhile, Gazzy and Iggy were dropping bombs, fighting, and Gazzy would go close to the ground and gas out as many monsters as possible. Fang and Jason were fighting six of the School's employees each at once, Jason using any water to wipe out the Erasers. Finally, he controlled the water from our pool, drowning and short-circuiting Flyboys, M-Geeks, and Erasers. Maya was frying the creations with fire, as well as battling three at once. Grace was causing it to rain in Jason's area and making it very dry in Maya and Max's areas, to keep their fire going. She was also zapping the foes with lightning. Amber was controlling their minds, making them fly high and then fold their wings in and splatter on the ground. Xavier was solid steel, fighting on the ground and killing as many as he could.

Truly, we were a force to be reckoned with. But there were so many, going from a hundred to hundreds, pouring in from the forest and three helicopters. Finally, the supply of mutants at the base of the tree has vanished, only a mass of bloody bodies left, piled on the ground. Max had reached the helicopter, and was knocking out the occupants. They fell to the ground as the aerial transportation began swerving out of control.

Jason POV

Time seemed to slow down. Water coated me, acting as a second skin and a protective shield. I drowned and injured as many mutants as I could, but more appeared, filling in for the dead. A gun was cocked, aimed at Max's back. She couldn't see it, because she was fighting the last three Erasers to save Patrick and Angel. Fang and I rushed towards her, abandoning the Flyboys we were fighting.

"Max!" I screamed.

"A gun!" Fang shouted.

We watched, rocketing towards Max, as she turned around, confused and ready for an attack. The Eraser pulled the trigger, a _pop_ echoing across the lawn, causing everyone to freeze. Max grasped her stomach, falling to her knees. Losing her balance, she nearly fell out of the helicopter.

Standing up, her teeth grit in what I can only imagine immense pain, she faced the idiotic, gun-wielding maniac. Taking aim, he shot again, but the chopper swerved. Instead of piercing her lung, it grazed her side. She gasped, knocking the Eraser off, using her last bit of strength. The three Erasers lunged at her at once, but we had already reached the helicopter. Roundhouse kicking once and decking the other, Fang took out the last. Only the one driving the chopper was left, and he stood, not before taking a sharp turn and knocking Max out of the plane.

She fell, arcs of blood trailing behind. Leaping off, I unfurled my red and black wings. Fang had the same idea, and we both caught half of Max.

Carefully cradling her, avoiding all wounds, we managed to carry her to the tree house. The helicopter was a spot in the distance by then, Patrick and Angel gone.

Max writhed in pain, groaning.

"Angel, Patrick, save them! Jason, Fang, you have to get them." She gasped, her breathing ragged. Dr. Martinez was already examining the wounds. Fang prodded my side, nodding towards the battle that raged on. Xavier was being held by four Eraser, and they were trying to figure out how to penetrate his steel body. Amber's wings were sagging, but her eyes were determined.

Refreshed with a new strength, I controlled all the rain water and pool water, drowning nearly thirty M-Geeks. Nudge crushed ten under a boulder. Maya set twenty ablaze, and Iggy and Gazzy killed the remnants with bombs. The other two helicopters left before they could be taken care of.

Panting, bloody, bruised, and tired, everyone stumbled over to our house, the other, burnt, but not ruined house, to our backs. Fang and I carried Max, who was unconscious. Dr. Martinez, or Val, as she preferred, busied herself, seeking out our large medical kit. Amber moved forward, waiting for Dr. Martinez to clean Max's wounds before healing them.

Using the correct items from the kit, Val cleaned and removed the bullet, giving Max some anesthetic. Amber placed her hands on Max's shoulder and gently on her stomach, closing her eyes. Max and Amber glowed an amber color (that's how we came up with her name), something we were used to. Amber had to heal one of us time to time.

When the healing finished, Max bolted upright, her chest heaving. Her skin was flawless once more save for her scars. Bruises, cuts, and welts had all healed. Nudge's clothes had slashes and burn holes peppered throughout the fabric.

"Patrick! Angel!" She stood up, not realizing the fight was over and that she had lost consciousness.

"Max, they are gone." I whispered, the thought finally sinking in with my own mind. Greif, guilt, worry, and pain engulfed my mind. I can only imagine how much worse this was for Max, as she cared to both Angel and Patrick, despite whatever she said. Max still cares for the old Flock. She had been so close to rescuing the two, endangering her own health to save them. In the end, Max's efforts had been crushed by some trigger-happy jerk.

Val bandaged everyone, examining for concussions, any internal damage, and so on. My stomach growled as I realized just how late it was. It was maybe two in the morning, and I-we were starving.

Moving to the kitchen, everyone followed me. We rummaged through the cupboards, snacking until Iggy, who had taken control, finished the lasagna. We all surrounded the counter, mourning in silence. Clearing her throat, Max caught everyone's attention.

"Patrick and Angel were taken," She started, ruing salt into open wounds, "and there in no way around it. We have to get them back. Obviously, they are at the School right here in California. It is a three hour flight, but we have to heal first."

Amber opened her mouth to interject, but Max held up her hand, an air of authority engulfing her.

"We need you to get our family back, and healing drains you. You are practically falling over now. And that was one major healing, more or less. Imagine healing everyone. It is valiant for you to offer, however."

Amber nodded, feeling miserable but thankful at the same time. While it was for a good cause, that much healing frightened her.

Max continued, unknowingly tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "I know we should save them as soon as possible, but I think we should go to the emergency camp, train, and plan. They expect us. We need something to catch them off guard, and it won't be safe here-"

Cars sirens appeared outside. We had completely forgotten about the police, firefighters, and so on coming here. We had maybe five minutes, judging by how loud they were. Thank god we lived so far from the city.

"Everyone go pack a backpack. Clothes, blankets, pillows, bombs, anything necessary, put it in your bag. You have four minutes to report back here. Go!" Max shouted, grabbing food from the cupboard and shoving it into one of the many packs in the closest. We all grabbed one and left. My heart thumped in my chest, pumped on adrenaline.

_The adventure begins…_ I thought.


	10. Friendship & Romance

Friendship & Romance

Max POV

We flew over the house, a couple thousand feet in the sky. Below us, the house was a light, both houses, as the police and fire department inspected everything. I could only imagine what would happen. Luckily, I left a note within those four minutes to assure the police everything in our house was orderly. The note read,

_"Dear neighbors, _

_ Thank you for agreeing to water our plants and tend to other household necessities while the Martinez family and my family are on a camping vacation. _

_ Sincerely,_

_ Max_

It was both brief and explained our absence. Both Flocks flew in tight formation, alternating who would carry Ella and Mom. We carried packs, filled with only what we would need, or so I instructed. Nudge and the younger kids always carried some extra baggage. Lugging two packs – one filled solely with extra food and the other filled with clothes, a first aid it, blankets, and so on - , I focused on my internal compass. At this rate, we would be there in two hours, which would make it a five hour flight to the School. Sighing, I decided to scout ahead to assure that the emergency camp wasn't in tatters or destroyed by both natural, man-made, and Eraser accidents.

"I'm and going to fly ahead and make sure the camp in okay." I shouted over the wind, not waiting for a response before I went into hyper-drive. My wings barely moved as I was propelled forward. Glancing down, I saw a rapid blur of patchwork cities and parks. They dissolved into a thick forest, trees so dense and large, it would nearly impossible to navigate through.

The tree canopy was impossible to look through, unless, of course, your eyesight was that of a raptor's. Erasers are burdened with the eyesight of a wolf, which is equivalent to that of a normal human's. Meaning that they could not detect the camp unless there is a blatant sign, like a enormous campfire during a pitch black night. Finally, I detected the section in which one tree was of another species not seen in the forest. That meant I had exactly three seconds, going this fast, flying northeast.

Coming to a halt about ten seconds later, I slowly descended to the forest, carefully rearranging the foliage to keep it from looking mangled and as if someone had gone through it. Scanning as I moved towards the ground, I found no one or any sign of life besides the background noise of local wild animals and insects. I had gone miles away from the camp, in case anyone was watching from an aerial view and had escaped my examination.

Using my super speed, I pointed myself in the correct direction and appeared at the camp in seven seconds. It looked the same as I had left it the last time it was used. The beds were in the branches of hollowed out branched of the mightiest trees in the area. Said branches were both thick enough to fit in comfortably, but long enough as well. When someone lies down in the branch, you couldn't tell that they were there. Pulling back the one way netting – laced with other branches, twigs, and leaves – that covered each bed, I saw that the makeshift array of pillows and thick blankets were in a suitable condition to sleep in. Of course, not that there were any high expectations, considering the fact that it was a camp in the middle of a forest and we had grown up in cages.

Hung high, the bag full of cans and other non-perishable items seamed unharmed, saved for a few small scratches obviously made by some type of desperate and hopeful squirrel or chipmunk. Rocks were at hand in case a fire needed to be made. Running water was near, but not close enough so that our camp would be considered on its banks. Surrounding the clearing was a dense, woven net that camouflaged disguised it.

I had spent weeks comparing it to the neighboring areas and adjusting the mistakes, until it was perfect. Finding this hideout would be impossible. Even if you were looking specifically for it, what with the tree cover so thick, the wraparound camouflaging protection engulfing the area, and the little means that any human or hybrid was here, it would be a vain effort. Other supplies were in the base of a tree naturally hollowed out.

I only saw one problem: There were only seven tree beds, but there were fourteen people. Groaning, I pulled out my cell phone and called Jason. I figured that by now Fang and he had switched with someone else to hold Mom. On the second ring, I heard his familiar, if not slightly worried, "Hello?"

"Hey, how is everything going up there?" I asked.

"Good. Fang and I just gave your Mom to Amber and Xavier. Then we will switch out with Maya and Iggy. Nudge will be rotating in when someone can't anymore. How is the camp?"

"Perfect, except for the fact that there are only seven beds. I am going to stay here and make more. Have someone call me every half hour. Watch the skies and-"

"Alright, Max. We have got this. See you in a bit. Be careful." He warned. I grinned.

"Thanks, Jace. See you in a bit. Bye." I finished with a flourish.

"Bye."

Hanging up, I glanced around, planning. Seven branches were already occupied in the huge tree. The next tree's branches weren't quite as big, but they would do. Moving over, I pulled matches from the pack, and a knife. The hilt's comforting and familiar leather let me relax as I began to hollow out more branches. It was a lengthy process, but it I did more than one at once, I should be able to finish by sun up. Some would either have to sacrifice or…sleep together.

Amber POV

Shifting Ella slightly, I stifled a yawn. We were only ten minutes from the camp, already surrounded in dense forest. My arms burned and ached as a result of assisting in carrying Max's sister. She was constantly apologizing, asking if she could do anything to make it easier for Xavier and me. Right as I was sure my arms would fall off, I saw my haven, my saving grace: the tree. Dropping towards the ground, I released Ella gently, nearly collapsing on the dirt-covered, dusty forest floor.

Relaxing on a log near the middle of the clearing, I saw Max finishing yet another tree bed. Yawning, I stretched, cracking my back. Stomach rumbling, I wished we could eat the lasagna Iggy was making. Instead, Max had wrapped it up and had it in her pack.

"There's food in the blue pack." She remarked, not losing her concentration as she closed her fist, effectively stopping the controlled fire in one branch. Pulling a pillow and blanket from my pack, I climbed into the bed marked for me, a barely recognizable "A" scratched into the side.

Dr. Martinez smiled gratefully at us all, looking ready to give a speech. "I just want to thank everyone for saving Ella and I. We wouldn't have made it out of there without you. I was hoping, after everyone is fully rested and has a content stomach, sometime tomorrow, we could continue our pleasant conversation and finish bonding."

Her eyes brimmed with happiness and hopefulness, to the point where nobody could even think to say no, despite how they felt towards it. Max stepped away from the branches, her face grim.

"I only have eleven beds finished, but in about an hour…" She trailed off, biting her lip. I shifted in my bed, sitting up from the nest of pillows and blankets. Sleep desperately tugged at my mind, pleading for me to embrace it. Escaping from its clutches, I offered to give up my bed for an hour.

"Absolutely not, you not only fought, you used your powers to their full extent. Go to sleep after you eat." Max ordered, tossing an apple, granola bar, and piece of wrapped-up lasagna. Inside was a fork.

Relief flooded me – I didn't think I could move from this spot. Seconds later, crumbs, a fork, a wrapper, and an apple core were the only remnants of the food. Finally accepting my drowsiness, I was pulled into a deep sleep.

Max POV

Increasing the heat and flame, I finished another bed, closely monitoring the one I just started. Surprisingly, the burning took a considerable time less than expected. Maya, Fang, and Jason all offered to stay up; ignoring the fact that one of us could go to sleep. Looking nervous, Maya moved forward.

"Is it okay if I help?" She muttered, trying not to wake anyone else. A small grin graced my lips.

"That would be amazing." I replied smiling. Hopefully, this was the beginning of a truce and possibly a friendship. Together, we finished quickly.

Wiping the moisture from my forehead, I leaned heavily on a tree, relying on it to keep me up. Bending down, I snagged a water bottle from my pack and emptied it, feeling my dry throat finally soothed. Crumpling the bottle, I stored it in my pack before glancing at the sun. It was peaking over the horizon, causing everything to be bathed in red light. The horizon looked purple, but continued to transform as the sun arced into the sky.

"I will take first watch." I muttered, slowly sliding down the bark until I was sitting down. They raised their hands or opened their mouths to protest, but I waved it away.

"Go to sleep. I will wake one of you up in two hours." Fang, Iggy, and Maya climbed up the branches, settling themselves into their newly made beds. I heard them shifting around, adjusting the pillows and blankets to their liking. Only Jason lingered, before he sat next to me. We must have both looked horrible, covered in blood and dirt with drop-dead tired expressions. Our movements were slow and cautious, the result of an endless battle and lack of sleep. We hadn't slept for over twenty-four hours, and it showed.

"Go to sleep." I told him, trying hard not to just slump against his warm form and pass out.

"Okay." He whispered. Even though I was running on the waning adrenaline from the fight, I still had enough life in me to raise my eyes and face him.

"Did you just agree to do something without arguing?" I asked, sporting a playful smile. His lips spread into a smile, his eyes alight with mischief. He suddenly feigned hurt, looking astonished. Stifling my laugher, I rolled my eyes at his melodramatic act.

"Maybe, but I just need to do something first, okay?" He asked. I was about to open my mouth to reply when he leaned down and kissed me. For a second, shock and surprise cluttered my mind, my lips in a stunned "O". Then I moved my lips in sync with his, wrapping my arms around his neck and tangling my fingers in his hair.

His hands moved to my waist as my heart raced. Every nerve seemed alive, burning intensely. Emotion surged through my mind, dismissing every other thought. All I could think about was the fact that Jason was kissing me, and I was kissing him.

Finally, we pulled apart, our breathing ragged. I held a finger to my lips, hearing Amber roll over in her sleep. He smirked, something I had found infuriating. In all honesty, it had grown on me, and now I noticed just how cute it looked.

This was our second kiss, but the first was strictly platonic. I had recently rescued my new family from the School and they were clumsy with their flying. Jason, excited about learning how to actually soar in the sky, had turned sharply and rammed into me, causing us to all to the ground. Luckily, we had just taken off and not gone very high up.

When we landed, he was on top of me, our limbs tangled, our lips smashed together. I had jumped out from under him, trying to ignore the blush creeping upwards in my cheeks. The red also painted his face red. We had quickly apologized, stuttering and fumbling before taking off and keeping a clear distance from each other.


	11. Determination

**A/N: Sorry for taking so long to update. But I am going to start a Percy Jackson fanfic.**

Jason smoothly stepped in the natural handholds and fell onto his bed, barely a whisper escaping his lips. His eyes were alight as he took one last glance at my expression.

"I will take second watch." That was far off from what I was expecting, but I assume that was the point. Sighing, I shifted, scanning the area and creating a small fire. The drowsy feeling that overwhelmed me had vanished at Jason's touch. I felt alert, every nerve prickling and burning, my muscles taunt and ready to jump into action. Looking at the sky, I saw that the moonlight and stars would hide it completely, along with the thick tree cover. Flames swayed back and forth, distracting me. Before I knew it, two hours had gone by.

Standing up, I felt the stiff and slightly painful movement of my bones and muscles. My body was whining, not prepared for such sudden movement after not moving for two hours. Yawning, I cracked my knuckles and back, stretching the bones apart. Moving to the branch I had memorized as Jason's, I pulled the netting back, hesitating.

I saw his smooth skin, his scars standing out with the moonlight. He had one on the side of his cheek, barely noticeable. His expression was relaxed, most likely thanks to a dream. Every muscle was lose, unclenched, which was rare in the Flock, both Flocks. Jason's black hair was resting on his forehead, the rest splayed out underneath his head.

Blinking, I realized that I had been watching Jason sleep – which was already stalker-ish to begin with – for at least five minutes. Shaking his shoulder, I pulled him out of a heavy slumber.

"Wha-?" He started, rubbing his eyes. I grinned, pointing to the ground.

"It is your turn for watch." I explained, rolling my eyes at the look on his face; it resembled that of a five year old's after they were told to clean their room.

Crawling into my bed, I pulled the netting across the branch, closing my eyes. I pushed all thoughts out of my head and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

Blinking, I silently woke up. Slowly, as if something was outside the branch, waiting to attack, I slide the netting back and peered over the bark. No animals, people, or Erasers were present, so I deemed it safe to get out of bed. Leaping to the ground, I landed with only the slightest whisper of a dust cloud. My legs straightened and I meandered through the camp, pulling out four packs of frozen sausages and pointing my fist at the pile of wood near the center of the camp.

Instantly, it burst into flame, creating a medium-sized campfire, the orange, yellow, and red colors dancing in perfect harmony. I was the first one awake except for the watchman, who was scanning the area still. As I bent down, balancing on the balls of my feet, my main priority was positioning the breakfast so they were just over the fire.

"Good morning." Iggy whispered, finally acknowledging my presence. He stood up, his long limbs unfolding, allowing the cramped muscles to stretch. Picking up a stick, he held it over the fire.

"You can go back to sleep, catch a bit more rest." I told him, becoming frustrated with making the sticks balance. Instead, I caused each piece of meat to be engulfed in flame for seconds. In other words, I perfectly roasted them.

Iggy raised his eyebrows, trying not to smirk. He seemed to completely ignore the option of going back to sleep, instead declaring "Outsmarted by sticks, what has the world become?" I snorted, letting out a small laugh.

"So," I started, nodding towards the Flock members who were stirring in their sleep. Even when they were unconscious, no Flockie could ignore a pristine sausage. Pulled from his sleep, Fang sat up, quietly creeping down the branches and moving to sit on the log where Iggy now perched. I was on the log opposite them.

Without speaking, Fang picked up his breakfast and tore into it, like the hawks at Lake Mead. Smiling at the memory, I examined the sky. It was about midday, but to confirm, I pulled out my phone. The screen was, at first, hard to read because of the sun's glare, but I managed to read a "12:17".

Jason was the next to appear, sitting next to me and looking at the sausage. After another second, he began savoring the food, slowly chewing before swallowing. After Jason, each avian-hybrid slowly came, sitting on whichever log they pleased, wolfing down bits of food. Last to come down was Ella, after Gracie and Mom.

After everyone had eaten to their heart's content – or at least had two sausages – we sat on the log in an awkward silence. Doing something I would probably regret, I stated, "I-I think we should continue with talking about ourselves and each other."

Slowly, everyone nodded, clearly hesitant. Mom grinned at me, the warmth practically radiating off her smile. I made eye contact with similar, warm brown eyes and saw the message she was sending me: _I will love you no matter what, but no more fighting with anyone, please. I'm proud of you, Max._

I nodded, showing I understood.

"So, who is going to start with an interesting fact or something?" I wondered, looking at each Flock member. Nudge sprung forward, ready to offer her life story.

"I _love_ fashion. It's beautiful and it is always changing, challenging everyone to keep up with the latest trends and styles. Of course, being on the run and all makes it hard, but still, fashion is-" I reached over, turning off the Nudge Channel before it got out of hard. Nudge rolled her eyes at me, but she was smirking as I pulled my hand away.

We decided to go clockwise after Nudge, meaning I would go last. Iggy was up.

"I used to be blind, thanks to the Whitecoats." As he got further in the sentence, his voice became a vicious growl.

"I have been visiting the hawk cave every week for the past three years." Fang exclaimed quietly, a dreamy look passing over his face for just a second. I personally loved the hawk cave, but I hadn't seen it in years. But, out of everyone in the Flock, Fang had always loved it the most. It was his place to relax and let his feelings out, which he rarely did.

_He needed to go to the hawk cave after you left. You used to be his emotional outlet and he had nothing. And he always secretly hoped you would be there when he went._ The Voice told me. My eyes widened.

_I didn't know. It isn't my fault, I had to leave. They weren't- _I argued.

_I know, Maximum. There was nothing you could do. But now, you have to heal all wounds. Just keep that in mind. And get ready – you are right, training is necessary. And planning. They expected you to go last night or today. Catch them off guard. After these few weeks, life is going to get exciting, but I will let you figure out why._ The Voice explained.

I creased my forehead, wondering what could possibly happen. I mean, everything could happen, but what was _most_ likely? Of course, if the Voice had told me, everything would be easier. I knew asking the Voice would be futile.

"Max? Max, it is your turn! One interesting fact needs to be told." Jason nudged me, trying to draw my attention.

"I'm going to have a brain attack." I groaned, slipping off the log and crashing to the ground. Clutching my skull, I writhed in pain. Under my eyelids were the typical fireworks and galaxies exploding. Finally, images began flickering across my eyelids. Meanwhile, I was being overwhelmed by intense pain.

A newspaper, yellow and withered, declared, "Population Rising, Earth Declining" in big, bold letters. It was obviously an old paper. The next agonizing image was the world leaders discussing something, but the image lasted a second. I only heard the word "overpopulating". The last picture I saw was the School, the By-Half plan clear on the screen. "Outdated." Someone yelled, slapping the table.

People flashed in front of my face, including Dr. Brigid Dwyer, Mr. Chu, and other people I didn't recognize. Stores and buildings I have no memory of occupied my mind. Faintly, I heard people calling my name, hands helping me up and trying to pry my eyes open. I thrashed around, trying to get them off of me.

_Erasers_. That was my first thought. I gasped as the pain fled out of my body, replaced by adrenaline. The attack was over, the first one in years. Slowly, I peeled my eyelids back, seeing everyone surrounding me in a circle, keeping a slight distance from my limbs. I gasped, crawling towards the bushes. Throwing up, I looked away, having no interest in seeing the sausage again. Sitting up, I leaned on the tree next to the bus.

My Flock, my new Flock, was shocked. They had heard about the brain attacks but never witnessed me experiencing one. Gracie was quietly sobbing, Amber holding her, stroking her hair. Xavier had his head in his hands. I stood up, wobbly and shaking. My throat was dry enough to start bringing sand in by the truckloads to become a home for desert animals.

Fang handed me water, looking incredibly worried. For a second, I puzzled the fact that he was revealing emotion so publicly; that was before the cool water touched my lips. I greedily drank, finishing the water bottle and sitting down. Fang and Jason sat on either side of me, comforting me. After I regained my senses fully and had passed Mom's inspection, I croaked, "The School is worried about the population again."

The original Flock's faces were grim, knowing exactly how bad this could turn out to be, while the new Flock was stressed out because they despised the School.

"They are making a new version of the By-Half plan, to take care of overpopulation. Mr. Chu and Brigid are involved. It is horrible, gut-wrenching; it has gotten out of hand. We have to stop the School, and overpopulation." I muttered, "Which means we need to train."

Standing up, I moved away from the hands that were there to catch me if I fell.

"I am fine." I assured everyone, which was the sentence that allowed Gracie to stop weeping. Cracking my knuckles, I looked at everyone.

"First, we are going to learn moves. Then we are going to practice them. We are going to fight on each other. We will do it in the air, on land, in the water if we have to! We are going to master our powers to the fullest extent. Finally, the Flock is getting our two youngest back."

Determination flourished throughout the camp as everyone stood straight up, preparing to give everything they could. Proudly, I smiled.

_Watch out,_ I vowed, _because we are coming, and we won't give up until it is all over._


	12. Training and Groceries

Max POV

Using more energy, I controlled the flame, making it weave its way through the tree bark. I intensified the heat but kept the flame small, engraving the tree but not killing it. Over the past few days, we had worked on our technique and improved it majorly. We had started to control our powers and we just about finishing up for today. After, we would start sparring with each other for the first time.

Everyone watched as I finished controlling the flame. Maya was right night to me, practicing on a different tree. We were the last two to go, helping everyone else. Carved into the tree was "Maximum Ride" in script, perfectly written with the fire. Reaching up, I wiped the sweat away from my brow. Before, we had sent huge columns of flame in the air, fireballs, fire whips, and we even lit ourselves on fire.

Maya swayed dangerously, her skin paling as the fire grew. She was sending every ounce of concentration towards the task, but too much power was being used. The flame grew, beginning to engulf the tree. The words Maya intended to make – "Maya hates the School" – faded into the burnt base of the tree. Holding my hands up, I slashed across the air, making the fire disappear.

Maya fell to her knees, sweat beading her forehead, coating her pale skin. Pulling out some water, I helped Maya up, making her lean against the tree I had been practicing on. Separating her lips, I made her drink half of the water bottle. Iggy handed me a granola bar, which I also made Maya eat.

Some color was returning to her face as Mom stopped in to examine Maya. She pressed the back of her hand to her forehead, nodding.

"You have no fever, but you overexerted yourself. You need to cool down, rest for a bit. In, say, an hour or so, you should be fine. Someone help Maya over to the beds." Mom ordered. I stood up, picking up a nearly unconscious Maya.

"The perks of being a mutant." I joked, trying to ease the tension in the air as Jason helped me transport Maya into the tree bed, Iggy trailing behind. Tucking her in, I leaned against the tree, trying to ignore the fact that I was running on basically empty.

I had given Gazzy and Gracie my breakfast, because they were still hungry. Our rations were growing smaller and smaller. We needed to go get groceries. Leaning heavily on the tree, I felt the strain of the past few days tug at the corners of my mind. My body ached, screaming in protest at the slightest movement. Jason and Iggy noticed my condition.

During training, every single hybrid had been trying as hard as they could, but Maya and I had been pushing ourselves harder, farther. We had broken our limits, unleashing a new level of control. We fought with the most vigor, maneuvered with the most agility, spent the most time awake at night, taking watches, and eating the least.

"Max, are you okay?" Jason asked, standing next to me. Iggy positioned himself on my other side. I nodded, stumbling forward. My stomach growled loudly, hunger pains gnawing at my stomach. Staggering forward, I zigzagged back to where we had been training, on the edge of a pond the size of Anne's.

The world spun completely and I landed heavily on my hands and knees. I was overwhelmed with hunger and tiredness. Every part of me, physically and mentally, was wiped out and non-operational. I was functioning about as much as a car with no gas in it.

"Max!" Jason shouted, rushing forward, causing everyone to panic. They rushed forward, surrounding me. My stomach growled again, begging for food.

"Max, you are in the same condition as Maya!" Mom gasped, propping me against the base of a tree. Ella looked at me, my cheeks slightly hollow and my face gaunt. Her eyes widened as she gained another piece of knowledge.

"Max, you and Maya were starving! When was the last time you ate?"Ella cried, her eyes filled with shock. I creased my forehead, but it was too hard to remember, it took too much energy. Unconsciousness seemed so sweet, so comforting…

"Get her some food!" Jason shouted, causing everyone to jump or jerk in some way, expressing surprise. Angel tossed forward a water bottle and Xavier managed to find a can of ravioli. Someone made me drink the entire water bottle and eat the ravioli. I sent whoever as helping me a smile as my senses sharpened once more and the world came into focus.

"We need more food. My Max card…" I trailed off, blinking rapidly to keep me up. Standing up, I ignored the hands that hovered around me, ready to catch me or assist me in balance. Pulling the life-saving piece of plastic from my pocket, I looked at Xavier.

"Can you change my appearance so I can go to the store about two hours away?" I asked him, taking a step towards the pond and splashing water in my face. A refreshed feeling washed over me, the contentedness in my stomach helping. Xavier shuffled uneasily. He could, we had worked on that just a few hours ago.

"You are really tired, Max. Are you sure-" He started. I rolled my eyes and put my hand up, cutting him off midsentence. Xavier smirked, sighing.

"You are so stubborn." He mumbled, a smile playing across his face before concentration replaced it. I felt a slight tugging, sharp sensation, and then I looked into the pond. Xavier had even managed to change my clothes. I looked like a popular seventeen year old girl, with long, straight black hair parted mostly to the left side. My ears were pierced, my skin was tan, and my eyes were a startling blue. I was wearing jean short shorts, blue converse, and a blue shirt that said, "I Keep Pressing Delete, but You Are Still Here". I was six inches shorter, only five feet and seven inches tall.

"Man, and I thought you were short before!" Jason laughed, now towering over me. I punched him on the arm, causing him to cradle it gently.

"Ow!" He grumbled, frowning and wiping an imaginary tear from his cheek. I unfurled my wings, which were now only thirteen feet across and pitch black, having been sixteen feet in diameter.

"Man up." I remarked, looking at Xavier. He looked immensely proud of his creation. I rolled my eyes but became serious.

"As soon as I land at the grocery store, the wings will disappear, right? And when I need them, they will reappear?" I wondered. Xavier nodded confidently. Smiling, I hugged his, suddenly feeling like a five year old.

I was still taller than Ella, Gazzy, Gracie, and only a bit shorter than Mom and Nudge. Looking at the sky, I checked my phone; it was about noon. Estimating how long it would take, I told the Flock that I would be back by four o'clock, and that they should rest up for sparring. Jason caught me right before I was taking off, holding my arm.

"I want to come. In case you need help with the groceries." He added the last part after a lengthy pause. I shrugged, nodding. It _would _be helpful, and we could take more groceries that way. Xavier changed Jason into a guy who was sit foot even, with skater-style brown hair and emerald green eyes. He was muscular, looking like a high school jock. Silently, I waved goodbye and took off, flying ten thousand feet straight up before stopping to make sure Jason was following me.

"Hold onto my hand," I ordered, "and don't let you!" I finished in a warning, waiting for him to get a secure grip. Once he had a firm hold on my hand and I had gotten over the tingles running up and down my arm, dancing across the skin, I kicked it into overdrive, checking every thirty seconds to make sure he was still holding on.

Finally, we landed behind a small grocery store, a local one. Surrounding the store was a small town, with a handful of businesses and clusters of houses. One building was obviously a high school. I felt the presence of wings disappear, leaving me with an empty back. I felt vulnerable. Jason reached for my hand and I knew he was frightened by the lack of wings as well.

Entering the store, I saw three cash registers and rows of shelves each filled with assorted items. Most likely the owner of the store greeted us with a friendly smile.

"Hello, are you new to town?" She inquired, smiling warmly. She had a grandmother-like appearance, with soft eyes and a sweet, caring voice. Having already formed a story, I smiled back, innocently.

"My family and my boyfriend's family are heading up to the Pipe Spring National Monument, but everyone needed a pit stop. We were sent to get groceries while everyone else is getting other stuff we need or exploring the town." I explained, my smile never faltering. She nodded, as if it was perfectly expectable.

"That is a wonderful place, filled with history. My husband and I used to vacation there every year, before he passed away as result to cancer."

"I am so sorry." I told her, frowning. She smiled, trying to cheer up.

"It is fine, sweetie. Is there anything I can help you with? I am Hazel, by the way."

"Oh no, we're fine, thank you. It was nice to meet you, Hazel; I am Sammy, and this is Jackson." I exclaimed, giving Hazel a smile, "Have a nice day." I added, excusing us and seeking out what we needed. Nearly two hours later, we had a cart full of granola bars, sausage, hot dogs, milk, water, ravioli, and a ton of other food. Pulling up the register, I was greeted with the sight of Hazel once more.

"Why, isn't it nice to see you again, Sammy and Jackson?" Hazel gushed, scanning items. After ten minutes, we left, each carrying six full bugs, we stepped into the suffocating California air. The cool air from inside the store mingled with the hot air for a second before being overwhelmed. Behind us, the doors closed.

Strolling leisurely, we went behind the store, where we thought no one would me. Instead of a vacant lot, we found a group of teenagers, local teens with nothing better to do, talking and relaxing on abandoned crates.

There was five guys and five girls, all provoked at the sight of new faces. One guys stood up, sauntering over to me and switching his snapback to the other side of his face as the sun glinted in his eyes.

"Hey, babe. You don't look familiar; do you need an escort to show you around town?" He asked, completely confident. "I am Patrick, by the way. What's your name?"

Behind him, everyone watch eagerly, wondering how I would react. They expected me to swoon over Patrick's muscles, or his general good looks, but Jason was definitely cuter, now and in his normal form.

"It's Sammy. Sorry, I have a boyfriend." I told him, "And don't call me 'babe'." I snapped, glaring at him. The guys whopped and embarrassed Patrick, thoroughly pissing him off.

"Listen, you won't need anyone else once you've dated me." He breathed, leaning in close to me. He reeked of cologne. I wrinkled my nose, rolling my eyes. Pushing him backwards, I watched as he stumbled, nearly falling on his back. Jason clenched his fist, ready to fight. We had both put the groceries down by now.

"Big mistake, babe. You see, I _always _get what I want." He jeered, pulling me away from Jason. Jason snarled but I held up two fingers, signaling that he should wait. Patrick pulled me in close, his hands resting on my hips. I growled, ready to push him off.

"And I want you." Patrick whispered in my ear before looking at me deep in the eyes. His eyes were blue, his face tan and handsome. His blonde hair was cut short. I smiled sweetly, wrapping my arms around his neck. One of the girls made a jealous huff.

"Well in that case, we should totally go back to your place." I whispered quietly, mentally protesting and controlling myself. I wanted to retch, but I kept my cool. Patrick smirked, obviously proud.

"Really?" He muttered, pressing himself close to me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Jason take a step forward.

"Of course not, you idiot!" I growled, bringing my knee up and hitting him where the sun doesn't shine. He groaned and fell to the ground, curled up in a ball.

"Woah, what the hell?" One of Patrick's friends came towards us, kneeling down and trying to see if Patrick was okay. "Why did you do that?" He shouted, ready to fight me. I rolled my eyes.

"Sit back down, macho man. Your friend is fine." I snapped, intertwining my fingers with Jason's.

"Oh, and Patrick, you should meet my boyfriend." I informed him, turning towards Jason and kissing him full on the lips. Jason grinned against my lips, kissing back full force. He wrapped his hands around my waist and I pressed mine against his chest. The new body was unfamiliar to me, but Jason made the same actions.

"Oh," Jason growled, stepping towards Patrick, who was staggering back to the group of friends, "maybe next time, you shouldn't be such a player and hit on every girl you see, especially girls in a relationship. And trust me: no girl would want to date you anyway." He finished with a flourish, picking up the groceries. I picked up mine and we turned around, walking back to the side lot, where they had no view of us.

Luckily, it was vacant as we felt our wings press against our backs, returning to our bodies.

**A/N: Sorry for taking so long to upload! Oh, and get ready for the next chapter. It is going to be about the Flock sparring each other. Thanks for all the reviews and favorites/follows. Keep it up guys! If you like PJO, check out my other story, I'll Do Anything.**


	13. Sparring

**A/N I am so sorry! I have been so busy, with my birthday and friends and sports. But I have the next few chapters of I'll Do Anything, and I will update again tomorrow. Thanks for sticking with me.**

I reclined against the tree, looking at Gazzy and Gracie. They were sparring first, as they were the youngest. We had already gone over the rules, stating that you were not to seriously harm your counterpart, but get them in a position where they would have to give up. Gazzy, three inches taller than Gracie, squared his shoulders and prepared himself for combat, like Jeb had taught us. Gracie stood, feet shoulder width apart and knees bent, like I had taught her.

Gracie waited, analyzing Gazzy as he lunged towards her. She dropped low; Gazzy's outstretched hands skimmed the top of her head. He landed in a roll, stopping in a kneeling position. He stood up as Gracie slid behind him vulnerable back. Gracie moved forward, kicking the back of his knees and holding him down. Gazzy, once again on his knees with his arm twisted behind his back, hung his head in shame. He let loose a disgusting fart and Gracie, who was in the deathly proximity, fell backwards, clutching her throat before passing out.

Ella and Mom, who were the referees, looked at each other. Mom whistled, signaling the fight went to Gazzy.

"Is she okay?" Xavier growled, incredibly protective of Gracie. He glared at Gazzy, clenching his fists. Gazzy drew back from the vicious glare.

"Yeah, the fart was only temporary. She'll be up in five minutes." He promised, shying away from Xavier. I stifled a smirk at X's protective older brother complex.

"Gazzy, you have the strength and the weight, but you have to fight with your mind. You weren't thinking; you were only acting." I explained, and proceeded to wrinkle my nose. I sounded like-

"Yes, sensei!" Gazzy bowed, grinning. I rolled my eyes, watching as Nudge and Xavier stepped up. Determined, Xavier cracked his knuckles, standing in a ready position. Nudge tucked her wings into her back tightly. Xavier moved towards Nudge at an incredible speed, jumping over her head at the last second and trying to wrap his arm around her neck. She ducked, lashing out at his legs. Xavier fell on his butt, a cloud of dust engulfing the two. The shadowy figures moved, and when the dust settled, Xavier was being hit by a floating stick, but it didn't faze him. His body was steel, perfect for defense and offense. Moving his arm, he clipped Nudge's side, as she hadn't moved out of the way fast enough.

She fell to the ground, winded. Xavier – no longer metal – pinned her down before Mom whistled. He helped Nudge up, dusting off the dust on his jacket. They went to the edge of the clearing, Iggy and Amber replacing them.

The fights raged on for twenty minutes, Iggy using his teleportation powers, Amber using mind reading and control. Finally, Iggy managed to fully control his body and block Amber's overriding controls in his mind. Iggy won, but both were winded and tired. The collapsed on the ground next to each other, watching the next two get ready. Except there was an issue: Jason, Fang, and I were left and the pairings wouldn't be fair.

Maya walked into the clearing, rubbing sleep out of her eyes. That resolved one problem, but if Jace and Fang fought, I had a feeling someone would get seriously hurt. The Flock looked around, everyone making worried eye contact as the two oldest boys stepped into the center of the clearing. Tension sparked in the air, choking everyone. No one said anything as Fang turned invisible. Jace closed his eyes, listening for the slightest movement. Unfortunately, Fang made barely a whisper, decking Jace across the face.

_No serious injuries…_ I thought desperately as Jace waved his arms, a tidal wave dousing the center of the circle and smacking Fang down. Dust surrounded his, showing Jace exactly where his opponent was. Lashing out, Jace's foot connected with something, causing Fang to lose focus and become visible. Bent over, Fang wheezed, the tip of Jace's foot buried in his stomach. Still, Fang stood up, tackling Jace and throwing his elbow down, connecting it with Jace's jaw.

Both boys, their black hair soaking wet, were bloody within the next minute. Jace's nose was spewing blood, drenching his shirt. Fang's lip was bleeding, staining his lower jaw red. Finally, I stood up, suddenly feeling emotionally overwhelmed. Flock members were spread out behind trees, hoping for protection and stunned to the point of immobility. Just as Jace and Fang were about to collide again, I sprinted in between them, moving fifty feet in half a second. Catching both fists, I let Jace and Fang come to the conclusion that I was blocking them from each other.

"The fight's over." I snapped, looking evenly at both of them. They stayed emotionless, but Fang's eyes flashed with guilt while Jace's openly portrayed his shame.

"Sorry." The black-haired boys chorused in unison. I shook my head, not caring what they said. I felt fury building in my chest at their blatant hate for each other. We had to be a team, but there was clearly some emotions running wild.

"Just go sit down." I grumbled, rubbing my temples and shutting out everything in the world for just a few seconds. No forest, no kidnapping, no School, and no boys, for that matter. The obliged, shuffling back into the foliage. Fang melted into the scenery, Jace standing at the edge, keeping strict watch on the pond.

"Maya, are you ready?" I sighed, standing in the center of the circle. Suddenly, I felt like I could see every little detail. The wind rustled slightly, lifting my hair of my shoulders. It was only about four, so the sun was still high in the sky. The ground was dry and hard-packed, covered in leaves and dirt. The pond stirred as the result of a small fish surfacing briefly. Maya stepped into the circle, standing with her legs a bit past shoulder width, her arms raised slightly.

Meanwhile, I stood with my legs shoulder width, my knees bent, my weight on the balls of my feet. I raised my fists, feeling my eyes flash red. Steeling myself, I waited for Maya to attack. On the other end, she waited for me to make the move. After a minute, both of us were stationary. Letting out a breath, I moved forward at the speed of light, feinting low before jumping over Maya and trying to sweep her legs out from under her.

My clone leaped upwards, whipping her wings out to steady herself. She landed lightly, folding her wings into the indentations by her spine. This time she attacked, sending a volley of fists to distract me. I ducked and caught all of them, sneaking inside her guard and twisting her arm, threatening to dislocate it. She gritted her teeth, twisting the other way and moving away.

Rubbing her wrist, Maya smirked. I rolled my eyes, a grin settling on my lips.

"Is that all you got, Ride?" She provoked jokingly.

"You wish. I haven't even begun." I remarked.

**A/N Sorry, this chapter was short and I personally thought it was boring but yeah… And I would just like to point out that I made a mistake last chapter, where it said "Angel handed me a water bottle" or something similar. Angel and Patrick are still at the School, I just made a mistake. Thanks to AwesomeWeirdo for realizing that. That's what I get for not proofreading chapter twelve.**


	14. Bikinis and Tattoos

Max POV

We whirled around the clearing, interlocked in a graceful fight. One mistake and you lose, I reminded myself, ducking under Maya's kicked and reaching up for her foot. My fingers only grazed her skin, brushing against her converse before she violently yanked her legs backwards, avoiding my grasp.

I was not aware of how long we had been fighting – it felt like seconds, yet hours at the same time. Moving at super speed was slightly disorienting, but I had adjusted years ago. Unfortunately, Maya and I were equal opponents and the only way one of us would win is by trickery and cunning. Balancing on the balls of my feet, I stood up, sending a blast of fire towards her. While we wouldn't get burned, the fire was enough to distract my opponent for barely a second.

Lunging, I caught my clone of guard, firmly pinning her to the ground. Grinning, I secured her confinement, pressing my knee against her stomach and my elbow on her throat. We were both covered in a fine sheen of sweat, our breathing uneven. The Flock, I noticed from my peripheral, had not been paying attention, bored from the constant fight. We were waiting a handful of seconds before Mom whistled and I released Maya. Helping her up, I dusted the dirt off my clothes. Maya mimicked my moves, trying to get the grit and grim from her skin.

"I think we should go swimming." I announced, glancing at the pond.

An hour later, the combined Flocks were unwinding, giving their stressed muscles and anxious nerves a break. We had all changed into bathing suits, more or less. Only Gazzy brought swim trunks, so Iggy, Fang, Jace, and Xavier wore either boxers or basketball shorts. I hadn't thought to bring a bathing suit, but Maya had brought two bathing suits, if that's what you could call them. Wrinkling my nose, I looked at Maya. She had pulled me into a grove of tall trees where we could get changed.

Holding out two small piles of cloth, Maya grinned. I wrinkled my nose, examining the fabric. Raising an eyebrow, I made eye contact with the exact copy of me.

"What are these?" I muttered, looking back and forth from the black mess of strings and patches of fabric and an identical set, only in white. Maya rolled her eyes, trying not to smirk.

"Bikinis, Max. They are bikinis. Don't tell me you have never worn one?" She ended on a melodramatic note.

"Of course I have, just not one so…revealing." I grumbled.

"Just pick one." Maya sighed, grinning. Glowering, I snatched the pile of black cloth and stomped away, turning to change.

A minute later, I held my bundled clothes, tossing them into my pack, horrified at the thought of anyone seeing my undergarments. Maya came into the clearing behind me, clad in the white bikini. Feeling self-conscious, I looked down. Pouting, I crossed my arms over my chest, which was showing a bit _too_ much, if you catch my drift.

"Do I-" I started to whine, but Maya held up a hand.

"Yes, now march into that pond or so help me…"

Grumbling a string of colorful curse words, I walked in time with Maya, our steps in sync with each other. I was shocked at how much we looked alike, with our long, dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. We were the same height and most likely the same weight. The only difference, an almost unnoticeable detail, was that I was slightly tanner than her.

Entering the clearing, I felt all eyes turn towards us. I felt myself internally shy away from everybody's stares. Normally, I mentally would have been calling them insults and cursing my life. On the outside, I glowered, but I could feel the brush creeping towards my cheeks, painting them red. Jace, who had been flying, forgot to flap for a second, rapidly losing altitude before remembering. Fang had frozen and was intently watching Maya and I, much like the rest of the Flock. Mom had her eyebrows raised and I held my arms up in innocence.

"Oh my gosh, Max! You're wearing a _bikini_!" Nudge squealed, looking between Maya and I, having no idea which was which.

Turning my glare towards her, she sunk underwater, blantly aware which was which now. Gracie looked like she was about to start tearing up, she was so overjoyed I had a girly piece of clothing on.

"Just stay calm and _relax_." Maya whispered, noticing my taunt muscles. Letting then unwind, I cautiously walked to the pond, Maya in step with me. The younger ones went back to playing, but it took a bit longer everyone else to begin playing games again. Walking into the water, I smiled at the refreshing feeling it covered my body in. Slipping underwater, I swan as deep as I could go, which was the bottom. Weight and pressure didn't affect us.

Sitting nearly twenty feet underwater, I watched fish dart in and out of the underwater plants. Above me, the Flock dive bombed into the water, kicking and splashing, probably giving some fish panic attacks. Breathing deeply, I swam to the other end of the pond, where the Flock hadn't quite entered yet. Disrupting the stillness, sand flew up in clouds near my feet, fish weaving all around me.

Blinking, I examined my surroundings. The side I was swimming towards was rocks and algae. Where the Flock was, the ground sloped towards the bottom, a sandy, comfortable beach. The floor of the pond was filled with rocks, rounded for a life in the water, plants growing from the sunlight that reached the bottom, and small fish, anxiously moving around, avoiding predators. Reaching the rocks, I emerged from the water, wiping it away from my eyes and staring across the rippling water to see the closest Flock member about ten or fifteen feet away. Securing a footing on the rock, I stood up, nearly slipping on the slick algae. Glancing upwards, I noticed a rock wall that looked perfect to jump off of. Ruffling my feathers, I found them too water-logged to fly. Instead, I carefully snaked my way behind the wall, finding a natural path that lead me to the top of the cliff. About thirty feet below was the surface of the water.

"Where's Max?" I heard Jace asked, not able to sense my presence in the water anymore. The Flock began looking around, searching for me, until Gazzy yelled, pointing towards where I was standing, on top of the cliff. Before he could say another word, I leaped off, doing a flip in midair and watching the world fall as the water rushed up to meet me.

The impact stung a bit, but the rush of falling was amazing, as always. Lightly touching the bottom of the pool, I pushed off and surged towards the surface, my hair plastering to the side of my neck. Swimming back towards the Flock, I was greeted with, "That was awesome!" Gazzy complimented.

"Who'd you learn how to flip?" Xavier wondered.

"I could beat that!" Iggy challenged.

"Nice, was it better when you don't use your wings?" Nudge said, the short sentence shocking. Looking back at the Flock, I cracked my knuckles, preparing to answer.

"I learned to flip when we got a pool back home, and I will take that challenge, Ig. It was better without wings but you can go higher with wings…" I trailed off on the last answer, my wet hair bothering me – I hated when my hair was plastered to my neck.

Stepping out of the water, I ran my fingers through my hair before gathering it up, ready to put it into a ponytail. Mom, who hadn't gone in the water, was lounging on a blanket on the edge of the clearing.

From behind me, she asked, sounding incredulous, "Is that a _tattoo?_" I heard a slight rustle that showed Mom stood up. Nudge and Ella, who had gotten out for tanning, were the next to come behind me. I let my hair fall on my back, covering the small tattoo. In between the time where I had left the first Flock and met the second Flock, I had wanted to do something to show my changed life – so I got a tattoo.

It was small, on the nape of my neck. It had not required me to show my wings, so it worked out. The image was a hawk, a slip of curled paper surrounding it with calligraphy-like writing on it. The writing read, "Every beginning comes from another beginning's ending", but that wasn't all. If you looked closesly, there was a batter, bruised, torn apart heart with a knife through it.

"You have a tattoo?!" Iggy gasped, coming out of the water. Rapidly, the pond emptied and the Flock came to stand in front of me. All of them were bursting with questions.

"Did you _really_ get a tattoo?" Iggy asked, his eyebrows raised suspiciously. I narrowed my eyes, crossing my arms. Shifting my weight so more was on my right, I scoffed, "Yes, thank you very much. Is there an issue?" I finished in a growl. Xavier snickered slightly.

"N-no, it's just that you don't seem like the t-type to get a tattoo…" Iggy finished in a quiet mumble. Biting my lip, I tried to see from Ig's point of view. Was I honestly the type of person not to get a tattoo? I was seriously too uptight and strict?

"You'd be surprised to see how much I've changed." I remarked coolly, causing his to look down, outwitted. Apparently, Iggy wasn't the only Flock member that was shocked. I knew only Jace was aware that I had a tattoo.

"When did you get a tattoo, young lady?" Mom asked me protectively, her hands on her hips and her stance exactly like mine, one hip out. Rolling my eyes, I bit my lip, trying hard not to say anything harsh.

"Right after I was told it was good that I was abandoned, before I met my Flock." I grumbled, almost silently. The clearing went quiet, to the point where I would have been able to hear a pin be dropped three miles way.

"Can I see it?" Ella squealed, abolishing the tension. Sighing, I put my head down, revealing my neck and making my hair cascade down my forehead. Everyone shifted a bit, looking at the tattoo.

"The hawk is because you have hawk DNA, right?" Xavier asked, peaking over Nudge to get a better look.

"Yeah." I answered, taking a deep breath to calm myself down.

"The writing is for your new life?" Gazzy whispered quietly. I nodded, feeling awkward that everyone was staring at my back while I had a great view of my hair, covering my eyes and obscuring anything beyond it.

"What's that little red thing?" Ella wondered.

"It's a heart," Gracie whispered, "but it looks like it's broken and all torn up." She added.

"Why is that, Max?" Xavier inquired, "Why is there a little broken heart?"

Cold fingers brushed against the where my tattoo was, burning the skin and making me give a small gasp of surprise. I tensed as the calloused fingers left my skin, straightening up and fixing my hair to cover the tattoo. Rollin my shoulders, I strode away from them, coming to a stop about four feet away.

"Pack up," I began, my face void of emotion. "It's time we get the rest of our family back." I announced as cheers rang throughout the clearing. A small smile graced my lips as the tattoo and everything else was ignored. Right now, I was going to get my babies back.

**A/N I absolutely couldn't resist giving Max a tattoo! But finally, they are going to get Angel and Patrick back…or while they? Review and everything! Thanks so much for sticking with this story, I promise more soon! **


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